The traffic load components in pavement analysis

Abstract

This paper aims to illustrate the influence of the load model (in particular the components of traffic load) in pavement analysis. Firstly, a state-of-art of the load models for pavement analysis is presented. The load components (contact stresses), their magnitude and the tire-pavement contact area are referred to. Secondly, one analyses the influence of the load
components for pavement analysis by modelling, with the Finite Element Method (FEM), three flexible pavement structures, referred in the Portuguese Pavement Catalogue (JAE,
1995) for the traffic class corresponding to 500-800 heavy vehicles a day. The selected pavement structures differ with regard to geometry and pavement materials. The three
structures are modelling, in 3D, with DIANA software adopting materials as linear elastic, with different load models. The main conclusion of this work is that the consideration of the
three components of load (with uniform distribution) may not substantially alter the numerical results obtained with the exclusive consideration of vertical component of the load.